Americans believe the US is the greatest nation in the world
3 Min Read
Most Republicans, unlike most Democrats, believe that the United States is the greatest nation in the world.
-
Demonstrators gather near New York City Hall in support of Wisconsin workers on Saturday, Feb. 26, 2011. (AP)
A recent survey by the Pew Research Center indicates a modest decline in the proportion of Americans who believe that the United States has surpassed all other nations globally over the past four years. Conversely, there has been a rise in the percentage of those who believe other countries outperform the US.
Presently, only two-in-ten Americans hold the view that the US "stands above all other countries in the world." About 52% believe that the US is "one of the greatest countries, along with some others," while 27% state that "there are other countries that are better than the US."
Comparing these attitudes to 2019, there has been a slight shift. In that year, 24% affirmed that the US is the singular greatest nation, 55% believed it to be one of the best countries, and 21% considered other countries superior to the US.
Read next: Most Americans believe US global influence is waning
This change in sentiment is particularly noticeable among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents. In four years, the proportion of Republicans who believe the US stands above all other nations dropped from 40% to 31%, and the percentage of Republicans who consider other countries better nearly doubled, rising from 9% to 17%.
On the other side, Democrats and Democratic-leaning individuals have slightly increased their inclination to perceive other countries as superior to the US. In 2019, 31% of Democrats held this belief, compared to the current 36%.
Age divides in attitudes about US persist
Age continues to influence opinions about the US in comparison to other nations. Approximately 43% of adults aged 18 to 29 believe other countries are better than the US, the highest percentage among different age groups.
These age-based variations also apply within the partisan groups. Among Democrats under 30, 50% view other countries as better, in contrast to 25% of Democrats aged 50 and older. Among Republicans, 28% of those under 30 consider other countries superior, compared to 12% of those aged 50 and older.
How partisans’ views of US standing have changed over time
Historically, Republicans have been more likely than Democrats to view the US as the greatest nation, while Democrats are more inclined to believe other countries are better. Nevertheless, the prevalent sentiment among both groups is that the US ranks among the world's greatest countries.
Read next: US survey: 50% of Americans expecting civil war in coming years
The surveys conducted between 2011 and 2019 showed a notable decrease in the share of adults who believed the US to be above all other nations, primarily among Democrats. However, the decline observed over the past four years is predominantly among Republicans.
